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A Good, Insulated, Plastic Water Bottle That's Bound to Keep Your Thirst-Quenching Drinks Cold, Depending on How You Prep It

Posted by Gene D. on Mar 16th 2016

I ordered the 20oz Polar Insulated Water Bottle in red, as I just bought an entry-level MTB and want to do a mix of single-track and road-riding, both long and short-hauls. I needed something to supplement the need for a hydro pak on short runs; and, for an initial purchase, wanted something that would fit on either my seat tube or my down tube. While I haven't taken it on a ride, yet... it's still too cold in PA, but Spring is literally only a couple days away... here's what I've found so far.

Pros: The body is a nice, durable, pliable, contoured plastic. Contours cause the bottle to sit a little higher in my cage; but, allow the cage to grab the bottle. It has a quality feel to it, unlike cheaper "gimme" bottles. The red, mylar-like liner might serve a purpose, e.g., light/heat deflection and minor insulation; but, I think it's the double-walled construction that really serves the purpose of insulating. The outer shell is the semi-transparent part you see. Behind that shell is a another semi-harder white inner wall. The inner wall also feels more quality-driven than those you find on freebie bottles. I can definitely see how this will be freezer safe, given its pliability. The entire bottle body just feels durable, but not so much so that you can't squeeze it one-handed. Based on decent hard tugs, the black strap feels tear-resistant. The cap is well made and seems, despite being more opaque, like a material similar to that of the inner wall of the bottle--flexible, yet durable. The outer shell of the cap has a textured/contoured feel to it, allowing you to unscrew it easily. The nozzle (which feels like a durable, hard silicone) slides out with the perfect amount of resistance using either your teeth or your fingers. The nozzle is removable (which I really like, as it will make cleaning the cap much easier). To remove the nozzle, twist it in its housing and pull it out of the cap. It's not overly easy to do--it shouldn't be or it'd pop out on its own--but not so hard that it's impossible. When you finish cleaning the nozzle, pop it back in (ensuring the nozzle tabs are in the gaps provided). Water tests (i.e., topping the bottle off, capping it, and squeezing it as hard as I could) resulted in no leakage. The cap uses compression to keep liquid in it. There's a lip in the cap into which the mouth of the bottle fits--no gaskets or foam, only compression, but it works (at least for me). I would imagine cross-threading the cap would cause irreparable damage and leakage. Be careful not to cross-thread it; and, you should be okay. The water stream was perfect. The taste of the water in the bottle, after a thorough cleaning before first use, was excellent.

Cons: I honestly can't think of any based on what I'm seeing and experiencing, which is strange for me, as I really pick things apart... keeping in mind I haven't yet ridden with it. I’ll update the review after I take the bottle on a ride.

General Comments: After reading many reviews and doing a great deal of research, I settled on Polar Insulated bottles, vs Camelbaks, for a couple reasons. Some reviewers noted that this bottle doesn't keep liquids cold as long as other bottles (e.g., the better-insulated Camelbak Podium Chill); however, reviewers that actually purchased both bottles and tested melt-/warm-times thoroughly said the better insulation of the Chill was negligible and not really worth paying more than double what you'd pay for certain styles of the Polar bottles. In addition, compared to similar Camelbak-insulated designs, the cap on this thing is going to be much easier to keep mold-free (a huge plus, IMHO). My plan for this bottle, based on all I read, is, for short rides, to ice and go. For longer rides, I plan to fill it halfway and freeze it before my rides. Then, I'll take it out of the freezer right before the ride and fill it up the rest of the way. I've read accounts of others who pack two bottles and note they freeze the first half way and fill it with liquid and then freeze another solid. By the time they finish the first, the other is semi-thawed and ready to go. Before testing the bottle for leakage and taste, based on all I read, I cleaned it multiple times. First, I used barely a dot of dish soap and hot water on the cap and bottle--multiple rinses. I then used a baking soda/water mix on the cap and nozzle, rinsing well. Finally, I cleaned the bottle with a 1/4 lemon juice & 3/4 water mixture, rinsing well afterward... money. I don't put plastic in dishwashers. This bottle will be no exception. From this point on, I should be able to do the baking soda/water mix for the cap (nozzle out) and lemon juice/water mix for the bottle--allowing a complete air dry before reassembly--and be okay. Thorough cleaning and dry times are worth it, IMHO, to avoid mold that will grow in wet, dark places like any bottle's cap and nozzle.

Recommended Purchase: So, do I recommend purchasing the Polar Insulated Water bottle based on my experience so far (and based on all the other reviews I read)? Yes. This was my first Polar purchase. Based on what I'm experiencing, I'm getting another--the 24oz, in red--to supplement this one. The 20 will go on my seat tube, the 24 on my down tube. However, I wouldn't pay above $11 for this bottle, $15 at the most. For $9, depending on the style you choose and the oz you choose... absolutely, it's a great bargain for a great bottle.

I only write reviews for items I personally use and test. Please know I did the best I could at the time I wrote this review and always welcome both constructive feedback (to make my reviews better) and all questions related to this review (to make it better and help where I can). I will try to address both as time allows, within a reasonable period from the date I posted the review. I'm a family man; so, my time isn't always my own. Thanks for understanding.

could possibly use a few more layers of heat reflecting ...

Posted by Vic on Mar 4th 2016

could possibly use a few more layers of heat reflecting foil, but it does stop the liquid getting hot, ice cubes and water were luke warm after two hours in high temps.